1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing technique for transforming a face image in an image including the face image.
2. Related Art
Image processing techniques are known for transforming a digital image in order to improve the appearance of a face image of a person in the digital image. For example, JP-A-2004-318204 proposes a technique in which a partial area (an area expressing an image of cheeks) on a face image including a face of a person or the like is set as a correction area, the correction area is divided into plural small areas in accordance with a predetermined pattern, and the image is magnified or minified every small area at a set scaling factor, in order to transform the shape of the face image.
Since such image processing techniques were developed for images having a face captured in a front direction, face images after a transformation process may become unnatural when the face is captured in a direction other than the front direction, that is, when the face is swung in a left, right, upper, or lower direction.